


The Rider

by Amadrei



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Arranged Marriage, Bottom Lucifer, Dragon Riders, F/M, Language Barrier, M/M, Multi, Torture
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-09-24
Updated: 2014-09-24
Packaged: 2018-02-18 14:43:43
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,263
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2352080
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amadrei/pseuds/Amadrei
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prince Michael had grown up with an astounding hatred for dragons; Draejali the Fearsome had been his kingdom's tormentor for as long as he could remember, and he had trained himself to be able to slay the beast. But during one of her raids, a golden-haired boy tumbled off her back, a fiery look in his ice colored eyes, and he shouted at Michael in the beast's tongue and stood in front of the dragon, as if to protect her.</p><p>Michael was enthralled.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Rider

**Author's Note:**

> You can also find this fic on my writing blog on tumblr: <http://amadrabbles.tumblr.com>

“The baby’s crying again.”

…

“Will you shut him up, Evelyn? He’s driving customers away.”

The blonde woman shot him a look, and though her blue eyes were tired, they were piercing, and she set down her needlework with a loud sigh and stood, stalking over to the back room of the very small shop where a baby lay bundled in blankets, red-faced and bawling loudly.

“What is it?” she asked, addressing the child.

He of course, did not reply with English. He did not reply at all—only continued to cry as if he hadn’t even heard his mother.

“Did you soil yourself?” Dainty hands lifted him, bringing him parallel to her face and she sniffed, smelling nothing. “No, you didn’t. What is it then? Are you just being a pain? Answer me, Nicholas.”

The baby screamed, chubby hands curled into fists and fat legs kicking.

“Evelyn!”

She sighed again, sitting down in a nearby chair and pulled down her chemise to expose her pale breast, and she cradled the baby close as his mouth latched around her nipple and suckled away at it, cooing happily. Icy eyes stared down at the infant, lips tugged into a frown. “It’s not fair, you know,” she said. “It’s not fair that Mummy and Daddy have to starve, while you get to eat whenever you like.”

A man stepped into the room moments later, and his gaze fell upon the baby as well. “Feeding again?” He asked, irritation lacing his tone.

Evelyn hummed a confirmation. “Yes, Adam.”

“Didn’t he feed mere hours ago?”

“Yes, Adam.”

The man scoffed, running a hand through greasy blond hair. “And here we are, unable to afford a fresh loaf of bread. You know, I don’t think it would be that bad if King Charles hadn’t decided to raise the taxes to pay for the Prince’s fifth birthday—who needs a grand celebration for a child?” He was bitter, and he knew it wasn’t his son’s fault. But it was hard to appreciate his own child when he went to bed hungry every night, or when he had to give up every scrap of food to his nursing wife. If it weren’t for the baby, they might be able to share the food. His wife might be able to weave more linens if she didn’t have to always tend to Nicholas’ every need.

“The Prince, clearly,” Evelyn mumbled, watching her son and sharing her husband’s thoughts. “I don’t understand why they do that, though. Have they not learnt? _It_ comes wherever a large sum of gold is held. Our money gets wasted because of their greed and need for lavish affairs—it’s only a matter of time before it strikes again.”

Adam huffed, nodding and turning to the door, watching for any customers that might happen to walk by. “They should slay the beast before they take any more of our money.”

Evelyn seemed to consider this thought, and she raised her golden head to stare at her husband’s back. “Why don’t you? Not only would the King reward you handsomely, I’m sure—you could also keep some of the beast’s hoard for ourselves. We could become a Lord and Lady, and we could live easy lives.”

He turned to her, his own blue eyes flashing with annoyance. “Don’t be stupid, woman!” he snapped, hand on his hip as he leaned against the doorframe. “I am no swordsman, and it would be quite stupid to even attempt such a feat on my own. No, I won’t do it.”

She pursed her lips, eyes narrowing. “Then shall we all starve to death instead? I am sick of this, Adam!”

“Don’t you dare raise your voice at me!”

Evelyn flinched back, an ashamed blush coloring her features. She looked down at the floor in a gesture of humility. “I’m sorry, my love. Forgive me.”

For a moment, he appeared to regret his yelling, appeared remorseful and he stepped toward his wife, combing a hand through her hair. “You are forgiven. I should not have snapped.”

“You are tired, as am I. I do not fault you for unleashing your aggression.”

Adam sighed, grabbing another chair and sitting down in it. “I should not have unleashed it upon you; it is not you I am angry at. It is King Charles, Queen Liliana, Prince Michael, the tax collectors, and…and Nicholas. I’m angry at our own son, Eve.”

She nodded, gaze flickering to the babe still suckling her breast, getting full and fat on warm milk. “I want to love him. But he is more of a burden, than anything else. If only we had the money…”

“…We could always try to steal from its hoard. Maybe while it’s away? We would have to make haste, though.”

Evelyn blinked, staring up at her husband, her weary eyes filling with a renewed energy and hope. “When shall we leave?”

“Tonight. With any luck, we will make it to the mountain by nightfall tomorrow. Take what is left of our savings and buy two loaves of bread once Nicholas is done feeding.”

She nodded, a smile forming on her lips for the first time in weeks.

* * *

In hindsight, it was incredibly stupid to be as greedy as they were. Adam could’ve gotten them enough gold by himself to last the pair the rest of their lives. But humans were incredibly selfish beings, and they wanted better everything. A better home, better clothes, better food…so Evelyn had joined her husband on the short quest with her own satchel, ready to be filled with riches, and Nicholas swaddled to her back, and they only stopped their trek when the baby started crying, either hungry or having soiled himself.

By the time night had come, and they were waiting at the mouth of the cave that reeked of sulfur and fire, Nicholas cooed wetly, squirming against his mother’s back. She shushed him, waiting for Adam to enter before she followed.

It was almost unbearably hot, and the blond was sweaty and red-faced the further he ventured in, showing the safest way to travel for his wife, praying she wouldn’t slip and fall. But it was nerve-wracking, of course—perspiration pooled in his collarbone and made his hands wet and clammy and slippery, and it didn’t help that the walls of the cave were wet from condensation as well. He heard Evelyn shush the baby again when he moaned unhappily, a hiccup escaping his throat.

But the further they ventured in, and the hotter is got, the harder it was to quiet the distressed babe—they had to move quickly.

Move quickly? They did, yes—but it was extremely unfortunate that they seemed to have forgotten stealth was just as important as agility. The duo had finally found it, the trove where treasures were spread as far as they could see, and their faces lit up and shined just as bright as the gentle hills of gold. Adam looked at Evelyn, expression giddy as he dropped to his knees and began shoveling the coins into his satchel. The woman followed suit, and the clinking sounds of treasures being stolen, paired with Nicholas’ distressed moans, were enough to rouse any beast from their slumber.

And was the beast ever angry. The smell of brimstone intensifying was the only warning given before Evelyn looked up and screamed, a pair of serpentine eyes several stories above her head staring right back at her. Adam looked as well and stumbled back, arms immediately wrapping around his wife to protect her.

Its great maw opened to reveal a set of sharp, stained teeth, its breath reeking of blood and rot and fire. The dragon’s belly glowed orange as it chuckled darkly.

“Humans,” she taunted, her third eyelids flickering over red irises. “What bid you here? Certainly, you don’t mean to steal from me?” She stepped forward, pushing the gold with her giant claws as she moved, her pearlescent scales glimmering in the faint light and making her look every bit as beautiful as she was dangerous.

Evelyn trembled, shaking hands clamped over her mouth to mute the terrified squeaks that came from her throat, and Adam continued to stumble back with his wife in his arms. “No, n-never, you great and magnificent terror!” He said. “We would never steal from you, Draejali the Fearsome! To steal from you would certainly mean an imminent death!”

“Oh?” Questioned the dragon, her nostrils flaring and unleashing a thin cloud of smoke. “Then perhaps you should tell me why your bags are full of my gold? I don’t like liars—your excuse best be good.”

The woman started crying, tears rolling down her cheeks until Nicholas started to cry as well. Then, she appeared shocked, and immediately untied the cloth that secured her baby to her back. She held the child in her hands and offered him forward, head bowed.

“Great Draejali,” Evelyn said. “We have come to offer you our first born son in exchange for some of your riches! We are very poor, you see, struggling to even feed ourselves! We simply wish to no longer suffer!”

“And what use would I have for a baby?” the dragon roared.

Adam and Evelyn flinched, but it was Adam who spoke this time. “He is nice and plump, see? Perhaps he shall make a great snack for you, O Terrible One!”

“That is no snack,” Draejali said, offended, her great wings stretching out in agitation. “That is a mere taste. How dare you insult me with such a meager offering, you foolish humans!”

Evelyn sobbed. “Please, forgive us! We are just so hungry; we want nothing more than to be able to afford food for the rest of our lives. We will exchange Nicholas for however much you believe he is worth!” she cried, begging the dragon to show mercy.

And the beast seemed to ponder this, her ruby eyes narrowing in thought; and after hearing the two humans beg and simper like they were for another moment or two, Draejali said, “Very well. Leave him here and dump your satchels—you may take three gold coins each. That should be plenty. I do not want to hear any arguments, you understand me?”

The humans nodded quickly and, after Evelyn had set the sobbing baby down on a pile of gold, made haste of emptying their bags and grabbing only three gold coins each, as per instruction. “Oh, thank you, Magnificent Creature! You are so merciful and we are blessed, thank you for sparing us!”

Draejali folded her translucent wings against her back and puffed out her proud chest. “Leave my lair and never return,” she commanded.

“Yes, thank you! We shall never disturb you again, Great Draejali!”

The beast watched as the humans stumbled out of the cave, reeking of piss, and she waited until she could hear they were returned to the fresh air before she turned to the screaming baby.

She tilted her massive head to the side, watching him kick and scream at the blankets, face red from how loud he was crying, until she moved forward and sniffed him, nudging his small, plump form with her nose. Soft, tiny hands uncurled from their fists and patted her muzzle, and his crying turned to happy coos when he realized how cold it was, elated for some relief from the searing heat of the cave.

Draejali felt a certain kind of hatred bubble forth. Humans were pathetic and greedy. Rage swallowed her mind. Humans were willing to abandon their own kin just for a few gold coins. She turned away from the baby, eyes directed toward the exit. They narrowed, and she roared, charging out of the cave and bursting into the air, spreading her magnificent wings and flying toward the rising sun, her great wings blocking the light from it before her crimson eyes narrowed in Adam and Evelyn, who were halfway down the mountain. She swooped down, great maw open and belly glowing orange, and she watched with delight the way the human pair bore a shared expression of shock and terror as she breathed fire, burning them alive and serving justice. Their screams were music, and she circled around, hind claws slicing into charred bodies and shredding them until nothing remained except blackened bone.

«There,» the beast said coolly in her native tongue. «You had more than enough gold to last you the rest of your pathetic lives.»

But she didn’t return to her cave just yet—Draejali knew enough about humans to know that there was no way the child could survive on meat just yet—she had not seen any teeth in the baby’s mouth. So the great beast had flown over a field and plucked a stray goat from it, careful to not let her claws pierce it, and though it was bleating and trying to escape, she wouldn’t let it.

Draejali entered her cave with the terrified animal clutched in her hand and set it near the baby and blocked the exit. The goat had nowhere to run, and it bleated its fear until the baby had screamed happily, hands grabbing for its nipples. Draejali settled her head on her arms, watching the goat as it lay itself down, allowing the human baby to move in an suckle from its nipple, warm milk dribbling down his chin.

«You are my child now, infant,» she said. «And my child shall not have his human name. You will be my Light Bringer, my Morning Star. You shall be called Lucifer.»

**Author's Note:**

> _Love it? Like it? Hate it? Leave comments and let me know!_


End file.
